Prince of Silence
by Niki Bogwater
Summary: An attempt on Zelda's life prompts Link to take drastic-though not unwelcome-measures to ensure her safety. Post BotW Zelink fluff.


_Ten years ago, on this day, near this very castle, Link and I sealed the Calamity Ganon._

Zelda paused for a moment, her quill hovering above the page. Behind her, a fierce wind rattled a windowpane noisily. After a bit of thought, she dipped it in the inkwell, and continued to write.

 _It feels as though it was only yesterday, yet looking around me, it may as well have been a lifetime ago. So much has changed, so much has been rebuilt. Though the scars of Ganon's return will never fully fade, Hyrule has prospered like never before these past ten years. It is more than I could have ever dreamed of._

 _I had thought about celebrating with a banquet, now that we have a castle to host one in, but I know Link hates crowds, and he feels uncomfortable whenever someone brings up his role in the fated event. Besides that, he has been extra quiet lately. I think there is something on his mind, but it is hard to get him to tell me these kinds of things. It seems not everything has changed since the Calamity's defeat._

She was interrupted by a soft knock on the door to her bedroom, and a familiar, warm voice calling softly, "Permission to enter, Your Highness."

"Granted," she called back, hastily closing her diary before he could see it. Link crept in as silently as a cat on the hunt, a somewhat unnerving skill he had picked up during his journeys. Compared to him, Zelda made quite a racket wherever she went. His face seemed to relax just a fraction when his eyes met hers, and there was a tiny upturning at the right corner of his mouth that spoke of infinite fondness. To everyone else, he was as cold and professional as he needed to be. But Zelda could always pick up on his telltale quirks and signs that let her know how he was feeling.

"I came to see if my lady requires anything of me before I retire."

"Thank you, Link, but I think I'm alright. You can go to bed." He nodded and gave a swift bow. But as he turned to leave, Zelda spoke again. "Wait." He glanced back at her expectantly. "There is...something..." she murmured with a shy smile, the tips of her ears turning pink.

"What is it?"

Rather than answer him, she stood up from her desk, her skirts swishing as she crossed over to him. She stopped just a hand's breadth away from him, cupped his face in her hands, closed her eyes, and tilted her chin up invitingly. There was a split second of hesitation, as he checked to make sure the door behind them was firmly closed, and then Link gently met her lips with his own.

Neither of them were quite sure how long it had been like this. They had been stealing secret kisses and covertly showing each other affection more or less for the past ten years. Sometime after Ganon had been sealed, Zelda managed to convince herself she had worked up enough courage to tell him how she felt. Unfortunately, when she found him standing before her, waiting to hear what she had to tell him, her stomach twisted into a knot and her mouth dried up so she could not speak. Desperate to do at least _something_ with the opportunity she had _,_ she darted forward and kissed his cheek.

They could not remember ever really discussing it afterwards, but somehow, they got a new system fixed into place. From then on, it simply became a habit to exchange furtive glances every now and then, or find more excuses than usual to hold hands. During brief moments of privacy, chaste kisses were hastily exchanged, as neither one of them was too keen on being discovered by chance and having this development of their relationship become fuel for the gossip mill. They did not particularly like the thought of their love being anyone's business besides their own.

They parted after just a second, though Link did take the risk of fondly resting his forehead against hers for a moment, after he had stolen another cautious glance at the still-closed door.

"Will there be anything else?" he whispered. Zelda swiftly pressed another kiss to his lips before replying.

"That will do for now."

"Then I shall bid you goodnight, my lady." He drew back and offered a courteous bow before turning to leave. He faltered briefly by the door and brought his hand up to his shoulder with a slight grimace.

"What is it?" Zelda demanded, hurrying towards him.

"Just an old Guardian wound," he assured her. "They ache whenever a storm approaches."

"Curious..." the queen murmured, a familiar spark lighting up her eyes. "Could it be the result of dark magic? Or is it an element specific to Guardian lasers that causes the body to become sensitive to the atmospheric-"

"Sleep well, Zelda," Link said with finality...and just a hint of amusement.

* * *

Heavy clouds rolled over the skies above Castletown like angry Gorons. Thunder growled ominously from time to time, yet the rain held back, as though waiting for something. Link sat on the edge of his bed, massaging his aching shoulder with a sigh of frustration. He could not remember receiving this particular wound which left him with the scar that stretched from the center of his chest, around his shoulder and behind his neck. Zelda once told him it was one of the reasons she had him sent to the Shrine of Resurrection, but said little more about it. She became so morose whenever she thought of that day that he did his best to hide the evidence from her whenever possible. She had said it was from a Guardian, and he had similar, albeit much smaller scars from later in his journey that also tingled a little whenever the weather took a turn. But it was his shoulder that caused him the greatest discomfort. It felt as though an immense boulder was being forced down into the space between his neck and arm, sometimes to the point that he was certain his arm would pop out of its socket if he tried to move it. The only thing he could do was wait, and try to keep his muscles as loose as possible until relief eventually found him.

Tired of waiting for sleep that would not keep company with such pain, he stood up, donned his Champion's tunic and sheath, and walked out into the hallway outside of his bedroom. He paced across the red carpet restlessly, rolling his shoulder back and forth as he gingerly rubbed the smarting wound. A routine security check around the castle interior would hopefully ease the pressure and allow him to get some sleep. As he passed Zelda's bedroom, which was practically right next door to his, he paused and listened. All was still, as it should be. Satisfied, he began to continue, when a very soft _thud_ stopped him in his tracks.

Link knew the sounds of the castle. He knew the sounds of his queen. He knew the sounds of the knights and servants who resided there. That thud was not a native sound. It was the distinct impact of a light frame jumping to the floor while making as little noise as possible. He was very familiar with it, as it was one of the noises he had never quite been able to silence when he practiced stealth maneuvers. He also knew that it did not belong in his queen's bedroom at this hour of the night. And when not a split second later, he heard said queen give a startled squeak before abruptly falling silent, he knew exactly who had made it.

The Yiga assassin did not know what hit him. One moment, he had the queen's neck firmly in his grasp with a sedative treated rag pinned against her face, ready to drive his sickle into her gut the moment she was unconscious, and the next, he was on the floor with a boot crushing his chest and a sword at his throat. Link stared down at him with a look of such intense loathing he might as well have had a serpent pinned under his foot. Behind him, Zelda collapsed beside the bed, clutching her throat and gasping for air. The sedative had not taken full effect yet, but a few of her senses had been overwhelmed, leaving her weak and breathless.

Link took stock of the situation very quickly. They were at least three stories above ground level, but Yiga were expert climbers. Had the rain come any sooner, it would have deterred them, but the clouds had held firm just long enough to provide a window of time in which to slaughter their target. Speaking of windows, he distinctly remembered Zelda's being closed and locked when he came to say goodnight. That meant someone from inside the castle had unlocked it from the inside, someone who had access to the queen's bedroom. All of this flashed through his mind with blinding speed and precise clarity, so that he had worked out the entire thing by the time the assassin had collected his senses enough to start struggling.

Under normal circumstances, Link would have liked to think that this scoundrel stood no chance against him. But just when it was most important that he be at the top of his game, the thunder gave another ominous roll outside, and as if in response, his shoulder spasmed so intensely, he could not stop his hand from flying up to it and clutching it in agony. Then before he could gather himself, Link felt a slicing pain across the back of his leg, and jumped backwards with a hiss. He had forgotten some of the Yiga's tricks in the last ten years, such as the kunai they always kept equipped just below their wrists for situations just like this one. The assassin reached for his Vicious Sickle, only to find that Link had liberated him of it and flung it across the room during their first encounter. While he was distracted by this discovery, Link took the opportunity to slam his sword hilt against the Yiga's head, and although it clearly disoriented him, it did not have the desired effect of rendering him unconscious. He still had enough sense to ram his fist into the knight's gut and set off a smoke bomb. Link dove to shield Zelda in case the assassin tried to use his momentary blindness to finish off the queen, but as the smoke began to clear, there was no sign of the attacker anywhere in the room. He had chosen his life over his mission, and teleported out. Link let out a frustrated growl, then turned his attention to the still-shaken Zelda.

She was winded and dazed, but unharmed. He breathed a prayer of thanksgiving to the goddesses as several guards, who had been alerted by the sound of the smoke bomb going off, came barreling into the room in a panicked frenzy, readying their spears against a now absent enemy. Link was going to have a few things to say to them later about their lack of form when it came to responding to dangerous situations.

"Whasgoinon?" one of the younger ones slurred, having clearly just been awoken from an on-duty nap. Nonetheless, Link chose to set aside his grievances with them for the time being and answered the question instead.

"One of the Yiga has attempted to assassinate our Queen. He teleported out, but there could still be others within the castle grounds. Alert the knights and have them search the area. One of you should also investigate Gretchen's room in the servants' quarters. I have reason to believe she was involved." Zelda's hand fisted against his tunic and she shuddered. It was not the first time someone had tried to assassinate her, nor the first time one of her own servants was involved, but such an attack and betrayal of trust still left her reeling. Link's arm tightened reassuringly around her shoulders. The guards bustled out of the room with a hasty salute and tremulous "Yessir!" to their captain.

"L-Link..." Zelda rasped as he turned his attention back to her. "Your l-leg..." He looked down to find the cut on his leg enthusiastically gushing blood all over his ripped trousers. Had he not been a knight and in the presence of a lady, he probably would have cursed. As it was, he let out a quiet groan of frustration and quickly apologized for staining her carpet. "Oh, for Din's sake, Link..." she sighed. She shakily got to her feet with his help, clinging tightly to his forearms in case she toppled over again. After a minute, she steadied herself, and began leading him towards her bathroom, where a medical kit was kept beside the sink. "Come on, let's take care of that."

* * *

The castle was a whirlwind of activity for the next few days. Every key was confiscated, every lock was replaced, and every staff member questioned. Zelda's maidservant Gretchen was, of course, nowhere to be found. A search of her belongings yielded a few correspondences written in Ancient Sheikah, leading Link to believe that this had not been a spur-of-the-moment attempt. The Yiga had been planning this for quite some time, using Gretchen as a means to achieve entry into the otherwise secure castle. Throughout the whole investigation, Link all but chained himself to Zelda's side, shadowing her more intently than ever before. She supposed it should have irritated her, but the attempt on her life and the revelation of her maidservant's betrayal left her feeling deeply violated and shaken. As a result, she dearly appreciated Link's constant presence. The world could fall to pieces around her, but as long as he stayed beside her, she knew they would be alright.

However, there was something about her beloved knight that was bothering her. He seemed far more tense around her than usual. At first, she attributed it to the shock of the assassination attempt, but when she thought about it, he had been acting strangely for several months now. It had only intensified in the weeks since the attempt. It was as though they had relapsed into the days before the Calamity, when he refused to speak freely with her and others around him. He was reluctant to make eye contact with her as well, and often stumbled over his words like an inept schoolboy. Once or twice, she caught him staring at her with the strangest look on his face, while his hand fiddled with something in his pocket. She tried to give him his space, trusting that he would come to her of his own volition in time, but she was starting to miss the way he used to surreptitiously twine his fingers with her when no one was looking, or let her steal secret kisses even when he was technically on duty.

 _He has become so distant lately,_ she wrote in her diary one evening. _I'm almost afraid I've done something wrong, but he doesn't seem angry with me specifically. Something else is bothering him._

She paused for a moment, and glanced at the rainbow of purple and orange shining through her window. It was a beautiful Autumn evening, every leaf dancing like feathers on the wind in a glorious show of color. The queen let herself pout for a minute. It was too lovely outside for the problems she had to deal with. She did not want it to be so beautiful when she could not properly share it with the one she loved. She looked back down at her diary, dipped her quill, and resolutely wrote on the next line, _I've had enough._

* * *

Darkness cloaked the sky in velvety black. The stars glittered like diamonds and the moon shone like a pearl. Zelda sat cross-armed on the edge of her bed, tapping her foot impatiently. When Link came to say goodnight, she was going to put an end to this nonsense once and for all. When at last, she heard his knuckles softly rapping on her door, she jumped off her bed, marched across the room, and wrenched the door open aggressively.

"Permission to-gah!" Before he could finish, Link was yanked forcefully into the room by his collar. Zelda shut the door behind them with an ominous _click,_ and stood staring at him fixedly for a minute. "M-My lady?" he stuttered.

"Link, it has come to my attention that there is something bothering you," the queen announced stiffly. "You have been unusually distant these past few weeks, ever since before the assassination attempt." Her voice softened a bit. "Tell me the truth; have I done something wrong?" She would have been lying if she said she did not feel immense relief when his guarded expression relaxed into one of affection.

"No, Your Highness. You've done nothing," he answered softly, yet firmly.

"Then what has you so...unsettled?"

"I..." He gaped for a moment, searching for the right words. Oddly enough, she saw his hand briefly stray towards his pocket again.

"Link," she murmured, taking a step towards him and resting a hand on his shoulder. "Please tell me what's troubling you." He struggled for a minute, avoiding her gaze. Then, he seemed to come to a decision. His expression hardened into impassive determination again, and he finally looked her in the eye for what felt like the first time in ages.

"My lady, I am worried for your safety," he said in a rigidly calm voice. Zelda blinked a few times in surprise.

"But...you've been by my side more than ever these last few weeks. I've never been more protected in my life."

"There are limits to what I can do to ensure your safety." His voice was uncomfortably formal. "When you retire for the night, you are left alone in your bedroom, and susceptible to attack." Zelda took an abrupt step backwards.

"Wha-what are you suggesting, exactly?" she demanded hotly.

"My lady, I have thought long and hard about this, and...I believe it would be beneficial if I stayed in your room to protect you while you slept."

" _Excuse_ me?" Zelda squeaked, a rush of indignation coloring her cheeks red. "Do you realize how utterly improper-"

"I am aware that this is a violation of the knights' code, but I believe I've found a way to override this standard," he interrupted. His voice was still level and controlled, but his words were coming a bit faster. "Please understand that I would not ask this of you if I did not believe it to be in your best interest." With that, he took her hand in his, and dropped quite suddenly onto one knee.

"What on earth are you-" Zelda began, then abruptly froze as the realization hit her like a shot from an Octorok.

"My lady," he said quietly, then paused. "Zelda," he amended, looking up at her with such a pleading look in his eyes that she would have laughed if she had not been so shocked. "Will you allow me to fulfill my duty to protect you from all harm at all times? Will...Will you marry me?"

Zelda breathed out a soft _Oh_ in understanding. She felt girlish butterflies erupting in her stomach as unwelcome tears of joy rose to her eyes. She quickly swallowed and schooled her emotions, staring down at him with a guarded expression. "Is this...something you truly desire, Link?" she asked carefully. She knew in her heart what the answer was, but she needed to hear him say it first.

"More than anything," he answered firmly.

"Th-then..." Zelda ordered her voice to stop shaking. "Then I shall grant your request." And with that, she dropped the facade, tugged him to his feet, and kissed him, over and over again until she had to stop to breathe. She did not realize she was crying until she felt his hand tentatively brush her cheek and thumb her tears away gently. " _Goddesses,_ Link," she gasped, holding his hand against her face and laughing breathlessly. "Only you would use an assassination attempt as an excuse to propose."

"S-sorry," he mumbled, flushing a becoming shade of pink. "I got too scared whenever I tried to ask before."

"So...may I see what's in your pocket now?" Zelda asked coyly. She had a pretty good guess as to what it was.

"Oh, right. I forgot." Link took his hand back and fished around in his pocket for a moment, struggling to fasten his still-trembling fingers around the object within. At last, he got it out and placed it in her left hand. It was nothing particularly special, just a plain, silver ring. Link refused to accept pay for his position as Zelda's personal knight, and had few Rupees to spend on personal items. But to the queen, it was more beautiful than all the precious jewels in the castle treasury. "Y-you don't have to wear it if you don't want to, of course. I just thought I should try to make this as proper as-" She cut him off by pressing her lips to his once again.

"I'll never take it off as long as I live," she vowed.

* * *

It would not be until years later that the Hylian commonfolk learned of what had transpired that night between the queen and her appointed knight. Since Link and Zelda were still uncomfortable with the idea of their relationship being put in the spotlight for the public eye, they did the sensible thing and simply eloped; took a research trip down to Tarry Town and came back married. Of course, rumors spread quickly as to the nature of the silver ring that had mysteriously appeared on Link's left hand. These were accompanied by unproven claims that the queen wore a matching ring on a chain around her neck, but kept it hidden beneath her high-collared gown. Still more stories circulated around town that the queen and her knight had been caught kissing in a pantry in the castle kitchens, but the cook who supposedly saw them had been known to weave more than a few tall tales in her time, so her claim was usually taken with a grain of salt.

When the queen gave birth to the crown prince two years later, it finally came to light that she was, in fact, married, and Hyrule had an official Prince Consort. People had often wondered what position her silent companion held and why he was always inexplicably at her side for even the most mundane of governmental affairs. Apparently he'd had a hand in running the country for quite some time now. Some called it scandal, but Kapson the Zora priest was able to produce a marriage license with a date from two years previously, proving that they had indeed upheld the knights' code of honor and Hylian social standard. The code never said anything about publicity, so at the most, people could only feel offended for not knowing what was none of their business in the first place.

Government records in Hyrule have since made a few references to The Silent Prince of Hyrule, but over time, his true identity was lost to the pages of myth. There was, however, a queer passage written in the Royal Book of Genealogy that described Queen Zelda of the time as "Hyrule's Happiest Monarch." The section seemed to have been penned in by a previously unseen hand, and no script was ever found later in the text that matched the penmanship.

Historians presume they lived happily ever after.

 **A/N: Special thanks to the fantastic Minstrel of Madness for Beta reading this. Go check out his work if you want more Breath of the Wild Zelink feels.**


End file.
